Phonics & Spelling

All pupils in reception and year one are taught to read using the Read Write Inc. scheme. Read Write Inc.is a programme developed by Ruth Miskin, and is taught in over 5000 schools in the United Kingdom. The programme systematically teaches all of the common sounds in the English language, helping pupils to recognise the sounds and then to ‘sound-blend’ them into words for reading. Children become fluent readers and confident speakers as a result of this method of teaching.

Reception and year one pupils receive 30 minutes of RWI each day. Children in year one are required to take a statutory check to assess their phonic ability.

In year two, when pupils are ready, they move towards more formal reading teaching, covering comprehension, inference and deduction, speed reading and retrieval, with more complex and advanced texts. Year two pupils who are not ready for this continue to receive the RWI programme.

Spelling

Key Stage One

 Children in year two who have completed the RWI phonic programme will move on to the statutory spelling rules for key stage one.  These will be taught through games, songs, rule study and dictations.

Key Stage Two

In key stage two, in the autumn term, pupils are taught the spellings that are statutory for their age related expectation.  Teacher use the National Curriculum to inform the spellings and spelling rules that they will cover.  

In the spring and summer terms, we teach bespoke spelling, based on our own spelling curriculum model: Target, Train, Teach.

Target:  Using a diagnostic tool, teachers identify which rules pupils are struggling with, and the reason for this.

Train:  Teachers then 'train' pupils using theory and word knowledge, games and songs, acronyms and rhymes, as well as 

Teach: Teachers then draw pupils' attention to the importance of ensuring that they spell these words correctly, in context, during writing sessions